Easy Drawing Guide: How to Draw a Cat Face

Cats are undeniably adorable and people love cats for their cuteness and funny behavior, so it is not surprising for many to make them as subjects in drawings. If you want to learn how to draw a cat face easily, you've come to the right place!

In this tutorial, we'll show you how to draw a cat in sketch form that appears genuine and believable. Since animals are typically coated with fur, you might think that their anatomy and structure are not relevant in drawing them. However, it's crucial to fully grasp the anatomy behind the fur. In this case, you will need to be mindful of a cat's anatomy in learning how to draw a cat face.

So, let's go over the steps you'll need to take to learn how to draw a believable cat.

Before drawing a cat face

Learning how to draw a cat face is all about getting the shapes right before adding curves and shading. Examine photographs of cats and cat skeletons to understand the structure. Keep the cats' faces and characteristics in proportion. Consider using grid lines to position the eyes, lips, and ears. These can be easily removed later.

A Google search for "how to draw a cat face" brings up hundreds of results. These results range from simple to realistic, cartoon to close-up. This tutorial is intended to teach novice artists how to draw a cat face with a serious yet charming look. The kitty is composed of basic shapes. It can be colored in many different ways. Once finished, it is complete.

Tools needed to draw a cat face

Excellent drawing tools can make your drawing process easier. To draw a realistic cartoon cat face, all you need is a drawing tablet, a stylus, and drawing software.

Painted stylized cat face drawing guide

1. Basic shapes

How to draw a cute cat face? When we start drawing a cat, we'll begin by sketching some basic forms. This step is crucial since it helps you draw in proportion. Before you begin a drawing or painting, you should first break down the figure into its largest shapes.

In this case, we can simplify the cat's head into a nice big circle and some triangles for the ears. Working on the outline can be stressful. Avoid putting too much pressure on your pencil. Otherwise, you may delete parts that are needed.

2. Organic shapes

Cats have cute ears that allow them to hear higher and lower frequencies than humans. When drawing the cat's ears, note that they are not perfect triangles. The circle is slightly pushed down into an oval shape. People frequently draw their shapes in ways that are too rigid for a believable drawing. To get a more realistic cat face, you should avoid sharp lines in the drawing process.

3. Medium shapes

We have already drawn the cat's snout, cheeks, and eye ridges in the previous step. In this step, we add some medium shapes to help break down the larger shapes. We should incorporate medium forms to add detail to the cat's facial features. This will give the drawing a more defined look. The result will be a drawing that resembles a cat.

4. Smaller shapes

Smaller shapes include eyes, nostrils, whiskers, and mouth. The simplest approach to sketching the eyes is to draw them as two circles. You can draw a triangle for the nose. The mouth should look like a reversed letter "m", but softer and wider.

Did you know that cats have 24 whiskers, 12 on each side? Cat whiskers act as radars, allowing cats to maintain balance and notice changes in their surroundings. You no longer need to draw exactly 24 whiskers. Three or four whiskers on each side will suffice instead. When drawing the whiskers, don't use too much pressure with your stylus. You just need to relax your arm and make short, soft strokes.

5. Patterns and Details 

With all of the facial features in place, we can begin to add cat patterns. You can add lines or breaks in the form to give the fur volume. It also adds randomness, making the drawing appear more lifelike.

6. Base colors and fur rendering

The next step in how to draw a cat face realistic is to add base colors to your drawing.

The second coloring follows closely.

how to draw a cat face Brushstrokes should be added in the direction of the fur. Mix soft edges with hard edges to give your composition a realistic look. For rendering you can just use a couple of areas with fur texture and the rest can be smooth.

7. Smallest highlights and shadows

Light and shadows should be alternated around the margins. Furthermore, we can add subtle color variations to add volume.

Realistic cat face drawing guide

A realistic cat face can be created by drawing the cat's outline with curves and straight lines. You'll finish your cat's design by drawing fur around the outline with short strokes. Even without the coloring process, you can still create a realistic cat face.

Stylized cat face drawing guide

We can bend and break the rules. This will allow us to create a cool-styled version of a cat's face. To do this, we must first understand the basic dimensions. Shapes are the key to stylization. How can we change the initial shape so that the design still appears like a cat but is more representational rather than a carbon copy of the cat we see in real life? To accomplish this, we push and pull shapes in order to add interest and story.

Drawing tablets for drawing a perfect cat face

How to draw a cat face? Good drawing tools are essential. The greatest drawing display is the gadget that will bring your creative visions to life, no matter if you are a student, hobbyist, or professional.

Drawing displays may help a variety of creatives, from photographers retouching and editing photographs to animators and digital artists. XPPen Artist Pro 16 (Gen 2) is the most practical drawing display you can't miss.

Realistic Creation: The XPPen Artist Pro 16 (Gen 2) boasts a 159% sRGB color gamut area, ensuring vibrant colors and precise detail expression. Your artwork comes to life with every brush stroke.

Comfortable Drawing Experience: The X-Nature Display optimizes eye comfort by reducing potentially harmful blue light emissions while delivering excellent color accuracy. The paper-like texture enhances the natural drawing experience, and the full lamination screen technology reduces reflections, providing accurate stroke positioning.

X-remote Control: XPPen Artist Pro 16 (Gen 2) comes with X-remote Control, giving you easier access to features for quick changes. It supports wired and Bluetooth connectivity to seamlessly adapt to different workplace settings.

X3 Pro Smart Chip Stylus: Partnered with the X3 Pro Smart Chip Stylus, the XPPen Artist Pro 16 (Gen 2) provides a natural and precise sketching experience. The X3 Pro Smart Chip optimizes performance, recognizing electromagnetic signals and translating them into accurate digital transmission.

Conclusion

In conclusion, drawing a cat face can be a delightful and creative process. Whether you aim for a realistic depiction or prefer a stylized approach, understanding the underlying shapes and anatomy is crucial. Remember, practice makes perfect, and with time and dedication, you'll refine your skills and develop your unique artistic style.

Drawing tools are essential for enhancing your creative process, so choose what suits you best. Experiment with various mediums, whether traditional pen and paper or digital drawing tablets, to find what sparks your creativity. So, dive into the world of cat drawing, explore different techniques, and let your imagination run wild as you create captivating feline portraits. Happy drawing!